Thirty-one US states have enacted laws that ban texting during motion of a vehicle and nine states have enacted laws that ban the use of cell phones during motion of a vehicle and other similar telecommunications devices (collectively referred to herein as cell phones), completely causing automakers to try to develop a user interface solution that will bring drivers the information they want and allow some form of cell phone usage during motion of a vehicle. Until automakers create such a user interface, a need exists for apparatus and methods for determining whether a driver of a vehicle is violating these laws and if so, to take an action such as issuing a warning to the driver and/or others.
In this regard, Korean Patent Publication No. KR100251143(B1) describes a safety driving device to automatically decelerate a vehicle while a driver is talking over a cellular phone and to operate an alarm lamp and a buzzer to warn the driver.